Apprentice
by Lovelesslife
Summary: What if Petunia signed away a young Harry Potter into an apprenticeship?


Petunia glanced down at the address on the piece of paper in her hand, then at the street in front of her. 'Freak, keep an eye out for number sixteen.'

'Yes ma'am.' The little three year old boy beside her replied. Halfway down the street he tugged on her pant leg.

'There.' He said pointing to a house across the street.

'What have I said about touching me?' She snapped at him. The boy quickly let go of her pant leg muttering an apology, and he knew that if they'd been somewhere private, she would have smacked him across the face.

Petunia hurried across the street, up the driveway to the door and hurriedly knocked several times. 'Come on, answer, before someone sees.' She muttered. Harry glanced to the side and saw a man looking out the window of the house. He gave a shy wave after quickly making sure that Petunia wasn't looking. The face disappeared and reappeared after the door opened.

'What do you want Petunia?' He greeted rudely.

"I need you to take him.' She said shoving Harry towards him. 'He keeps doing freaky things and Vernon's going to kill him if it keeps up. I don't want my husband in jail, so the freak has to go.'

'I can't take your son. Not without proper guidelines being followed.'

'Well find a way. He has to go.'

Severus stared at her for a moment, then looked at the boy; who gave him a dispassionate stare.

'Why haven't you taken him to an orphanage then? Especially if you want to get rid of him quickly.'

'Because, your world knows I have him. They'll just return him unless I leave him with another like him, now wouldn't they?'

'Depends on who's watching for him. But yes, they could take him back to you.'

'Well, I really _don't_ want him back.'

'I noticed, otherwise you wouldn't have brought him to me. Quite frankly I'm surprised you remembered where I live.'

'I didn't, Lily wrote it down in one of her journals.'

The man sighed. 'Very well, come in.' he said, as he stepped aside.

Petunia shoved the boy into the house and quickly followed him in. The man shut the door firmly behind him.

'The only thing I can think of that would prevent him from leaving my – or the person he's placed with- care, would be an apprenticeship, and in that case they have to be a master of their craft.'

'Well then you'll have to be the one to take care of him won't you? After all, a true master would be too busy with their craft. _You_ on the other hand, have squandered your mastery, and teach instead of working your craft.'

'Actually, Petunia, a Hogwarts teacher _must_ have a mastery to teach the subject. It's not _my_ fault I can't get out of that contract until I sign on an apprentice, or _he_ is completely dead.'

'Well now you can get out of it. I don't want him, and you want out of your contract. Perfect arrangement. Now, where are those papers?'

The man sighed and went into what looked like the kitchen. When he came out he was holding a sheaf of papers, with a pen and a steaming cup which he promptly took a sip of when he sat down at the table in the living room. He quickly read through the papers then handed them to Petunia. 'You need to sign here, here, and here.' He explained pointing to the spots. She read through the contract quickly and signed it after making a couple changes. The man quickly read the sections she changed then he also signed the contract. It rolled itself up and vanished in a poof of purple smoke. Petunia immediately stood up and scurried to the door.

'I'll bring his things 'round when I find them.' And she left without a backwards glance at the boy she'd left behind.

'So. I'll need to know a few things before I take you to your room. I need to know your name, age, and whether or not you can read, for that will be the first task assigned to you.' Snape explained from his chair, sipping his cup of tea. When the boy didn't answer, he looked up to stare at the boy expectantly, but he wasn't there. He scowled. 'Brat. Now where'd he get off to?' He quickly started searching the living room for the little boy, even looking behind or under the furniture; but he could not find him. 'I really need to clean the house.' He mused to himself; after sneezing from all the dust that had gathered under his chair. He hated cleaning the house as his cleaning spells never worked properly and thus had to clean it by hand. 'Now where could he be?' He wondered, and quickly climbed the stairs to see if the kid had gone to explore the upstairs of the house.

The boy in question, had meanwhile found the cupboard that held the cleaning supplies, and let the bag that held his single change of clothes fall to the ground behind him as he pulled out the broom and kitchen supplies, and immediately went into the kitchen and started sweeping the floor, once he was done that, he started cleaning the rest of the kitchen. It was around this time that the man had noticed he wasn't there anymore and started searching for him. By the time Snape had left for the upper floors of the house, the boy had finished cleaning the kitchen and had started on the downstairs washroom. Neither room took very long as they were kept mostly clean by the man who lived in the house as they were some of the most used rooms, but as he was a small child, it still took a fair amount of time. The boy finally started on the living room and had just finished sweeping underneath the furniture - without sneezing – when the man came back down the stairs.

'There you are. Where did you get off to?' He asked as he spotted the small child. Then he noticed the broom in his hands. 'Why do you have the broom?' The child gave him a confused glance, and went right back to his sweeping. In swift order he had the floor swept and was sweeping up the dirt pile into the dust pan. Snape followed him into the kitchen, and stopped in the doorway. The kitchen which he had planned on cleaning the next day, was sparkling.

'Did you do this?' He asked the boy in shock. The boy nodded, then pointed down the hallway to where the washroom was. 'And the bathroom?' This time his question was asked in alarm. His cleaners were strong, and the only gloves he had were for cleaning cauldrons – which were in his lab. His securely _locked and warded_ lab. He used a protection spell on his hands when he used the cleaners, but this was a small child, he wouldn't know the spell! Come to think of it, what was a child that was barely more than a small toddler doing cleaning the house?

'Child, show me your hands. I need to see what damage the cleaners did to them.' He suddenly ordered, startling the boy, who had just been leaving the kitchen with a damp cloth in his hands. He tilted his head at him in confusion as he hesitated by the door. Snape wasted no time in striding to the boy quickly and dropping to his knees, grasped the boys wrists gently but firmly. He took the cloth and turned the child's hands over examining them for any damage. To his surprise there was none, on either side of his hands.

'How is it that there is no damage done to your hands?' The boy shrugged, and reached for the cloth in Snape's hands. When he didn't release the cloth immediately, he gave a gentle tug. Once the cloth was freed, he vanished into the living room and started dusting the shelves and table tops, it was as he was reaching for a shelf slightly out of his reach that Severus joined him with a dusting cloth of his own and started dusting the shelves that were way out of the childs' reach, while levitating him a little so that he could reach the shelf he was trying to dust.

'We'll do your room next.' Severus told the levitating child. 'I haven't cleaned that room in several years, it's mainly been used for storage.' The child stared at him confused.

'Don't I sleep in the cupboard?' He asked.

'Cupboard? Why would you sleep in the cupboard? You're a child, not a cleaning tool. Which makes me wonder, why are you cleaning the house?'

'Freak lives here now, so Freak must earn his keep and keep house clean.' The child answered. 'House needs to be clean so Freak clean it.'

'Surely your Mother did not name you Freak.' Severus said frowning.

The boy looked confused. 'Freak no have Mother. Freak has Aunt and Uncle and Cousin, but Freak has no Mother.'

Severus froze, then turned to look at the child. 'Petunia is your _Aunt_?'

The child nodded. 'Aunt never wanted freak 'cause Freak do freaky things. And likes to do strange things.'

'Strange things?'

'Freak would rather clean than play. And Freak would rather weed than watch the telly.'

'Well, if what you say is true, you were like that as a newborn babe as well.' Severus sighed resignedly. The contract was already signed after all. 'I knew your Mother – yes, you had a Mother – we went to school together, and she grew up just down the street from here. She was always writing to me about you, you would rather watch her clean the house using magic than the illusions you Father – yes you had one of those as well – would act out your bedtime stories with.'

'Magic? Magic isn't real.' The child said with the certainty of someone who has been told that over and over.

'Then how do you explain how you are floating in order to reach that shelf?'

The child looked down and screeched in surprise. Severus quickly put him down.

'I was using magic so you could reach the shelf without hurting yourself.' He explained. 'There's a lot more magic can do as well, we have potions that can heal nearly anything, from minor cuts to re-growing bones, and to helping a werewolf keep his mind during the full moon.

Your Aunt signed you into an apprenticeship with me, which means, until you either get your mastery in the subject you choose to learn from me, or I declare you incapable of mastering the subject – and it would take a lot for that to happen, I don't give up on people that easily – you will be in my care, and learning potions or Defense; not to be mistaken as Defence against the dark arts.

Normally, you would choose which subject you would learn from me. However, as you are as young as you are, you would be incapable of learning Defense, for, no matter that you are signed into an apprenticeship, they will not allow you to buy your wand until you are seven, therefore; you shall be learning potions from me. You will have the option later to learn Defence, I will most likely offer it in three or four years. This first thing I will teach you however is how to read, as I highly doubt that your Aunt has already taught you how to do so. Do you have any questions?' The child stared at him for a moment, then shook his head.

'Where is room?' He asked after a moment. Severus gave a small smile.

'Come, I will show you.' He led the child up the stairs into the upstairs hallway. 'My room is this one, right at the top of the stairs, this room here,' he pointed to a doorway a little further down the hall on the left. 'This is the upstairs washroom, which reminds me, if you wish to clean you may do so. However, you are not to clean the washrooms, I will do them. Your magic will not always protect your hands from the cleaners, especially not once we start training it. And this room,' He said stopping outside the room next to the washroom. 'This is your room.' He opened the door and stepped aside so the child could see his room. 'We'll have to move the boxes and stuff to the room across the hall, before we clean it, but that's easily done. So, what do you think?'

The child tentatively stepped in the room and looked around. 'This is mine?'

'Of course, we'll need to go out and get you a new bed, and some new clothes that actually _fit_ you. I will not risk having someone trying to take you away from me before you have achieved at least one Mastery. As you are younger than most people when the either sign up or are signed up for a mastery, someone may just try to do that. As I still have to teach you how to read, I will still teach at the school and when you are far enough along in your studies, I will quit, by then you should be old enough that no matter what anyone does, you can't be taken away from my care.'

The child beamed up at him. 'Can we go right now?'

Severus gave a small chuckle. 'How about right after we get the room clean so we have somewhere to put your bed?' The child nodded vigorously, and Severus pulled out his wand and started to wave it before pausing. 'You know what we forgot to do?' The child looked around then pointed at the door across the hall.

'Door not open!' Severus nodded.

'Indeed, we forgot to open the door. Why don't you go do that?' The child eagerly scurried across the hallway, opened the door and scurried back. Severus waved his wand and the boxes started lifting themselves, another wave had them slowly flying across the hallway into the other room. The door closed itself after the last box had entered with a sharp _SNAP!_ 'Hmm, appears I need to go through those boxes soon, I don't remember there being quite so many of them.' He turned to the child who sneezed suddenly when he was in a dust free section of the room. The child scowled.

'There dog fur up here.' He stated. 'Why there dog fur up here?'

Severus snorted. 'I see what Lily was talking about. Abnormal amounts of dust don't even faze you, but the smallest amounts of dog hair make you sneeze. No wonder you hardly ever went near your godfather, his animagus form would have driven you crazy. As for why there is dog fur up here, my neighbour had a dog and I had to dog sit one year while she went on holiday, the dog must have gotten in here one day. Let's start cleaning so you don't give yourself a headache with all the sneezing you're bound to do.'

They managed to quickly clean the room, and once they were done, the child stared up at Severus eagerly. 'Clothes now?' He asked tentatively.

'Yes Harry, we'll go get your clothes and your bed now.' Severus agreed. Harry actually cheered excitedly and ran out of the room to the front door. 'No running in the house! I don't want you falling and hurting yourself.' Severus called after him. 'These next few years are going to be interesting.' He murmured to himself.

* * *

When Harry was seven Severus decided he was going to stop teaching until Harry reached Hogwarts age. When he told Harry his decision, Harry shook his head.

'Actually, Papa, I wanted to start my Defense training this year.' Harry had started calling him Papa when Severus had entered him into primary school. 'If it's anything like when you had me start my potions mastery, the first year is going to be theory only, and you don't need to be here for that. You'd be bored with nothing to do all day but watch me study. You don't get enough special orders in to fill your day yet. Wait until next year, when we're actually going to be doing something that you can fill your day with.'

Severus thought about it, then nodded. 'That is actually a good idea.'

'And once I get my Potions mastery, I want to work on getting my Herbology mastery, so I can grow my own ingredients.'

Severus stared at him, then gave a little laugh. 'I'm not sure where you're going to end up when you get to Hogwarts; Ravenclaw, because you love to learn, or Slytherin, because of your ambitions.'

'Probably Ravenclaw. I'll have already succeeded, or be succeeding in my ambitions. Slytherin is for those who have yet to realise how to achieve what they want, but still have a severe want for something. I will already be doing so.' Harry pointed out.

Severus snorted. 'Three masteries before you hit fourteen? I'd say that's pretty ambitious.'

'Four. I want to start my Charms mastery when I finish my Defense mastery.'

'Want to attempt your Transfiguration, or History masteries in there somewhere?' Severus asked drily.

'Maybe after I've graduated.' Harry answered cheekily. Severus gave an exasperated sigh.

* * *

Later, when Severus told Lucius what Harry had told him, Lucius laughed. 'What is he trying to do? Break the youngest Mastery achievement ever?'

'Actually, he'll achieve his Potions mastery in two years; and he knows it. I think he's going for the most masteries ever achieved by a minor. He requested I hold off on signing his emancipation forms until he's achieved his Charms mastery.'

'What? He doesn't want to attempt to make it five? You know he'll achieve his Charms mastery by the time he hits thirteen, sooner if he manages his Defense mastery by the time he's nine.'

'If he had started last year, I would guarantee he'd achieve it by then, but he's already said he's not going to attempt that. Sometimes I think he's got a little bit of seer in him.'

'That,' Lucius said pointing at him with the hand holding his glass. 'Would not surprise me at all.'

* * *

'Pomona, might I have a word with you?' Severus asked standing in the doorway to greenhouse three.

'Certainly. Come in, I was just gathering some of the ingredients you requested.' She answered with a happy smile.

'Excellent. I was wondering if you had planned on taking on an apprentice in the next two years?'

'Not really, so far none of my students have taken much of an interest in Herbology, let alone enough to want a mastery in it.' She shrugged. 'Like Potions, Herbology is a dying art. Why?'

'I have a Potions apprentice who is due to finish his mastery in two years. He wishes to attempt a Herbology mastery afterwards so he can grow his own ingredients. He takes care of the garden at home, and he seems to enjoy it. I must ask however, that you not tell anyone about him, it's by his own request that until he achieves each mastery that only his masters shall know who he is. As his primary master I am not sworn to secrecy, but any secondary masters shall be until he releases them. As he is going for other masteries as well, you may not be released for several years after he has completed his mastery with you.'

She shrugged again. 'That's fine by me. I don't mind keeping him a secret. What other masteries is he going for?'

'He's going for both of mine, and after he finishes his Defence mastery, he is going to go for his Charms mastery.'

'Four masteries? Most people only go for three.' She asked surprised.

'Yes, he doesn't seem to know the meaning of the word impossible. He has, however, assured me that he most likely won't attempt his Transfiguration or History masteries before he graduates. Knowing him, he'll achieve his History mastery instead of his O.W.L, what with the progressive tests.'

'He hasn't taken his O. W. Ls ' yet?' Pomona asked in surprise.

'He's not even Hogwarts age yet.' Severus said wryly. 'He's only seven. He's been studying for his Potion mastery since he was four. I made him study theory for an extra year before I even let him in the lab. In a year, he's covered most of the Hogwarts potions curriculum. He's also made improvements to it.'

'Like what?' She asked curiously.

'He pointed out that most parents, especially those who are pure-blooded, wouldn't let a child that has yet to take his first potions class near the ingredients, let alone the cauldron, for fear they would blow themselves up. In other words, most of my problems in class, can be solved by teaching them proper ingredient preparation, which _I_ had been told most already knew. _Including_ my apprentice, who _by his own request_ has yet to leave the muggle world _._ Other than bringing home a classmate and telling him about the magical world, he's never even _said_ the word magic to anyone other than me. How would Albus know he's being trained in magic, if the only one who talks to him about magic is me?'

She frowned. 'Who exactly is your apprentice, Severus that Albus would tell you he's being trained already?' She asked after holding out her hand for the contract in Severus' left hand. He waited until she had signed it before answering.

'Harry Potter.' He waited for her coughing fit to end before continuing. 'His Aunt brought him to me when he was three. She and her husband had never wanted him in the first place, but Albus had left them no choice. It took her three years to remember where to look for me, and they moved a week after she brought him to me. Apparently her husband had threatened to kill him if he went with them, and she didn't want her husband in jail, so she brought him to me. I didn't even know who he was until after she left. Harry was the one who told me she was his Aunt and not his Mother, which of course could only mean he was Lily's son. He didn't even know his name until I told him, they always called him Freak.'

'Well, from what you say, he's an intelligent boy, you wouldn't be letting him go for two masteries at the same time if he weren't. As long as he pays attention and studies, I have no problem teaching him. I'm guessing you are going to ask Filius to be his Charms master?' Severus nodded. 'He's taking on an apprentice at the end of the year, one of his students decided they wanted a Charms mastery before they applied to Gringotts.'

'So Mr. Weasley decided to be a curse breaker after all did he?'

'How did you know it was him?'

'For some reason he seems to like me. He came to me to years ago before his career meeting to see if he would be able to achieve his dream of being a curse breaker. I told him the requirements and that he needed to pick up his grade in my class if he wished to make it in the next year. I also told him a Charms mastery may help him when working in the field and that was that.'

* * *

'All right Harry, you ready for this?' Severus asked as they stood outside the Potions guild hall. Harry glanced at him nervously, then took a deep breath and nodded.

'I can do this Papa. I'm just a little nervous, that's all.'

'You'll breeze right through the exam. I'll be in the room next to the exam hall with the other Potion masters awaiting their apprentices who are taking the exams this quarter. You'll be the youngest one here, everyone else has at least graduated their school of choice. Don't let that intimidate you. If you have to use your Occlumency, do so. Don't forget the spells for your cauldron. If the masters testing you don't think you're up to snuff, they may try testing whether or not you thought to protect your work from being sabotaged.'

'And because I'm so young they'll be sure to test that out on me.' Harry added.

'Hmm. Indeed, it is most likely. Better safe than sorry. Especially if you plan on doing what I think you do.' Severus nodded.

'Most likely Papa. But that bit you told me about them donating the potions that are good enough to Saint Mungo's? I _know_ you are the only one who makes it for them, and I know you don't always have the time. This way you won't have to worry about this months' supply.'

'Only if they send it. Which seeing as you've made it for your uncle and he says it is better than mine, and I _invented_ it, they should send it.'

'You know the only reason he says its better is because I made less painful right?'

'Only so he would stop shedding everywhere when he scratched the itch from his fur bursting out.'

'Yeah, well, I'd like to see _you_ have an allergy to his fur. The stuff has to have magic of its own. Otherwise it wouldn't have managed to get in my room and under the covers of my bed when the door was closed. It's almost like it flies deliberately, rather than just when he scratches.'

'Be glad he spends the first spring and fall moons elsewhere, and that he doesn't have fleas.'

'Where _does_ he spend those months?' Harry asked curiously.

'I don't know, I've never asked. If he wants to tell us he will, eventually. You know how he is.'

'How did he even know I was with you instead of Aunt Petunia?'

'One of the letters I wrote to him was apparently on a piece of parchment you had handled.'

'And when he came to confront you about it I opened the door instead.'

'Saved me a little bit of trouble. Scared the hell out of Mrs. Thomas though when you started sneezing like that when she came down the drive to drop Dean off.'

'I think that was the first time she'd my allergy in action.'

'Alright, enough dilly-dallying, if we don't go in now you're going to be late.' And Severus hurried Harry in the doors before he could register what was going on.

Severus sat back in his chair and sighed.

'Severus! I didn't know you'd taken on an apprentice!' His old Potions master greeted him enthusiastically.

'No one is aware of my apprentice other than his other master, and it is by his own request.' Severus answered.

'Ho! There's a child in there!' Another master announced as he came in the room. Severus' former master looked at him.

'A child Severus? Really?'

'He's been studying with me since he was four.' Severus shrugged. 'I actually had to convince him that I had nothing left to teach him on the matter of potions and that he was ready for the exam. Truth be told, he was ready for them four months ago, he wanted the extra time to focus on Potions alone. Seeing as he has been rather focused on the Defence portion of his masteries, I agreed. And really, he's not _that_ young. Younger than most would say was sane to take the exam at, but then he's been studying since he was four for this and he's nine now.'

'I hope you taught him those charms for cauldron protection.'

'I think they may toss the ingredients in at the same time today. I just hope they don't try tossing in the usual into Harry's cauldron.'

'And why would that be?' The final potions mast had arrived.

'Because Harry's brewing Wolfsbane today.' Severus said coldly. 'And there's a spot half an hour in where you can't have any spells around the cauldron. The frogs' liver would cause and extremely large explosion. Harry is nine, unlike an adult wizard, he can't apperate out of the way.'

'So you're the one who brought in the child. I should have known. Well that'll be one mark against you.'

'Actually, Harry's been ready to take this exam for a while now.' Severus stated coolly. 'He requested I _not_ enter his name for the exams last time just so he could spend four months focused on studying for them. If he was ready then, I'll be really surprised if he doesn't make into at least the third or second tier _now_.'

'But Severus, you barely made it into the third tier on your first exam.' His master pointed out.

'Aye, but I didn't spend four months eating breathing and sleeping Potions now did I? He literally slept them. I got him a tape player for his fifth birthday and he made up a tape of potion ingredients and their properties and listened to it while he slept. For the last two weeks he's been playing his version of the wolfsbane recipe while he sleeps.'

'Your kid is strange.' The second master stated.

'I know, but he loves studying and learning something new, he'll be sorted into Ravenclaw when he goes to Hogwarts.'

'You do realize that even if he _has_ modified the wolfsbane recipe, you'll still be here when we've gone home right?'

'Harry managed to shorten it a little, it now takes eight hours instead of twelve to brew.'

'Merlin, your kid must be good at this.'

'The best I've ever seen. Including myself.'

Eight and a half hours later the only one of the masters who had left was the last one. They had been joined by all three apprentices, who had all passed. Suddenly the doors burst open and Severus barely managed to pass his coffee to the master next to him when Harry jumped on him.

'I passed Papa! I passed! And they sent it to Saint Mungo's already!' Harry babbled excitedly.

'That's great!' Severus smiled. Everyone looked up when they heard someone clear their throat in the doorway.

'Newly achieved masters, if you would line up in front of me, your tiers have been decided. You may retake the exam next year if you wish to achieve a higher tier.'

The students quickly lined up in front of him. He was holding four scrolls in one hand and each had a white ribbon coming out of the end.

'Each one of you has taken this exam for the first time today, you may retake it three more times to attempt a higher tier. After those three attempts, you must create your own potions that would advance you to the next tier – or one higher. You do not have to take the exam the four times before you may advance. Master Severus Snape only took the exam twice before his Wolfsbane potion advanced him two entire tiers.' He nodded in acknowledgment to Severus who nodded back. 'Each tier is split into two. The low section, and the high section. If there is a stripe on your ribbon, you have achieved the low section of you tier. No stripe and you have achieved the higher end of your tier.

'When I call your name step forward. Master Andrew Caine.' He handed Andrew his scroll and tapped it with his wand. The ribbon turned a solid blue. Andrew appeared pleased with this. 'Master Gerald Garwood.' Gerald stepped forward and his ribbon turn green. 'Master Jace Perkins.' Jaces' ribbon turned blue with a stripe. 'And lastly, Master Harrison Snape.' Harry stepped forward and accepted his scroll. He held his breath while the master tapped his ribbon with his wand. It all came out in a whoosh when it registered in his mind. His head jerked up to stare at the master, who nodded.

'Each one of you has done well. Master Caine and Master Jerkins have achieved the fourth tier, Master Garwood has achieved the fifth tier. Master Snape, has managed to achieve, well, see for yourself.' He gestured for Harry to turn around. There was absolute silence, which was broken by Severus whooping. In Harry's hand was a black ribbon with a white stripe.

* * *

'So,' Dean asked when they went out for a celebratory dinner later that night. 'How'd you do? I mean, obviously you passed.'

Harry beamed at him. 'First tier!' He announced proudly. 'The only Master to ever achieve that. The previous highest tier achieved on the first try was Papas, and he got third tier.'

'Seriously? You got first tier?' Dean asked in disbelief.

Severus nodded. 'The fact that he was brewing Wolfsbane, would have gotten him to the second tier, that he had altered it successfully is what got him to first tier.'

'Man,' Dean said sitting back. 'Maybe I should find something to apprentice in.'

Harry laughed. 'Dean, you don't have the _time_ to apprentice in anything. You have enough trouble with school as it is.'

'Yeah, I can't believe you are going for another mastery already.'

'I know, I can't wait.' Harry said excitedly.

* * *

'Alright, so there's not as much theory for Herbology as there is for your other masteries.' Pomona explained when Harry appeared for his first lesson. 'As such, unless you plan on studying it to death; which Severus informs me you have a tendency to do; you should be done in three months.'

'So six months then?' Harry asked cheekily.

'In six months when the school term ends we will start your practical training. I can't work it into my schedule until then. Hopefully, I can rearrange my schedule so that you get the three days a week you'll need for Herbology.'

'If you can arrange it so that you have three days dedicated to teaching and one for marking the last day could be mine?' Harry suggested.

'That would be perfect, actually. Good idea. I'll start working on that while you start reading these.' She indicated a stack of Herbology texts. 'Have fun.'

* * *

'Headmaster, I have taken on an apprentice and need to rearrange the class schedule so that I may have some free days to teach him what he needs to know.'

'Why not take the next two years off like Severus did?' The headmaster asked.

'He is also going for another mastery, he needs to spend the other days of the week focusing on that, as it is a harder mastery.'

'Alright, let's see what we can do.'

* * *

'Well,' Pomona stated to Severus the next day. 'That went better than I thought it would. Severus just smiled.

* * *

'Alright, ten years old and attempting your Defence mastery already?' Charles, another Defence hopeful asked smiling at Harry.

'Yup. I've already got my Potions mastery.' Harry grinned back at him.

'Really? What tier did you make?'

'First.' Harry announced proudly. 'And I took it last year' He added.

'That's awesome. Was the exam very hard?'

'They gave us a written exam then we had to make a potion of our choosing. I made Wolfsbane.'

'Well then little one, I think we won't be going very easy on you during this.' Another person spoke from behind them. 'And if this were the test you'd both be out.'

'Actually sir, we've both had objects above your head since you started approaching us.' Harry said pointing up. 'Although, I think mine might have given you quite the headache.' Sure enough, while Charles had chosen a carpet, Harry had levitated the chair the master had been sitting on before approaching them.

'Well then.' Another master said, coming up beside the first. 'On that note shall we begin? There are two of you, and eight of us. You need to take out at least three of us before being taken out yourself. Begin.'

'I thought there were others coming today?' Harry muttered, blocking a curse.

'Most people don't take the winter exams for Defence, because it's easier to survive the test when there isn't snow on the ground.' Charles informed him. 'I took the exam last year in the summer, so I figured I'd try it in the winter to see what they were talking about.'

'Well that's stupid. If it's easier to survive it, it also means it's easier to fail.' Harry said. 'Hah!' His curse had hit the target, taking one of the masters out. A moment later Charles gave a noise of triumph, as the master he was facing went down.

'So why didn't you pass last time?' Harry asked.

'One of the masters snuck up behind me and knocked me out right after I'd taken out my second master. 'Though, apparently I lasted the longest. Which says something about the state of Defence masters these days.' He pulled them both to the ground to avoid a curse from above. 'The trees? Really? They're in the bloody trees?'

'I'll shield and you aim?' Harry asked. 'You have better eyesight than me.'

'Good idea. If we pass, I'll have my father make you the eyesight correction potion.'

'That exists? I thought it was a myth.'

'No it exists. My family is the only one who can make it though. Family secret. Jump.'

'I would love to be able to get rid of these glasses. I'm glad my master cast an anti-summoning spell on them, as I'm pretty sure the others have already tried to summon them.'

Twenty minutes later Harry cursed as Charles went down. 'At least he got three.' Harry muttered as he managed to hit the master who took out Charles. There was a sudden volley of spells that had Harry dancing out of the way. 'Well, at least I know I'm qualified.' He muttered to himself. A rock slammed into his knee, shattering it. 'Argh! Really?' He called out. 'My knee? May I remind you I'm a ten year old and won't react to skelegrow very well, until I'm twelve?'

'There are children versions of it!' The last remaining master said, appearing in his sight.

'And I'm allergic to them.' Harry stated dryly. 'Thank you though, for giving me a chance to create a potion and advance up the rest of my tier.'

'Don't you mean tiers?'

'Nope. I'm already a first tier, have a stripe though.' Harry watched dispassionately as his wand flew out of his hand. He lazily summoned it back to him in midair. He shielded against the stunner that was sent at him next. Harry blasted the master into a tree knocking him out, however, he failed to see the stunner the master sent just before he hit the tree. Fifteen minutes later, everyone was being awoken by Severus and Charles' master.

'When you didn't come in after the signal went off we wondered what had happened to you. So we came in to see.' Severus explained Looks like it was a stalemate. But did you really have to shatter my apprentices kneecap? He has school tomorrow, and he attends school with muggles.'

'So stick it in a cast. We would have had to have done that anyway as he's told us he is allergic to the child friendly versions of skelegro. Just have to make sure his knee is set properly and we can conjure that cast.'

* * *

'What happened to your leg?' Dean asked when Harry showed up at school the next day on crutches with a cast that went all the way up his leg.

'A rock broke my kneecap.' Harry sighed.

'Dude, you have the _worst_ luck of anyone I have ever met.' One of their classmates stated as he walked past Harry.

'I know. My luck sucks.' He agreed. 'But it also doesn't because it was pure luck that led Papa to adopting me, and it's the best thing that's ever happened to me.' He stated happily.

'So,' Dean asked when they were alone. 'Did you pass?'

'Uh-huh, so did the other guy, and he's having his dad make me an eye correction potion as thanks for helping him pass. Soon I'll be able to see without my glasses!'

'That's great, I know you hate having to wear them. When do you start your Charms mastery?'

'Next month hopefully. Hoping Professor Flitwick's student passes his exam this time.' Harry sighed. 'After I get my Charms mastery I think I'll take a break before going for another one.'

'You want to go for a _fifth_ mastery?' Dean asked shocked.

'Papa says I'll probably achieve my mastery in History by accident, the O. W. Ls are progressive apparently. They only stop giving you questions if you can't answer ten in a row, or finish it, but most people don't finish.'

'Yeah, Mr. Snape is right, you'll probably achieve you mastery in History by accident. Who knows? Maybe you'll do the same to your Transfiguration exam? It's the only core class you haven't gone for your mastery in aside from History.'

'Maybe. I might go for that one next. But I'm not going to attempt it until sixth year.'

'Might be a good idea, what with having to study for the O. W. Ls ' you _do_ qualify for.'1

* * *

Mrs. Thomas dropped Dean off at Harry's the day before they were due to leave for Hogwarts. 'Thank you so much for taking him tomorrow Severus. I don't know when I would have had the time to.'

'I'm sure you would have managed somehow.' Severus smiled at her.

Dean hugged his mother goodbye, then stared at the closed door for a few minutes.

'This is really happening, isn't it? We're going to boarding school.'

'We're going to Hogwarts.' Harry stated gleefully.

'We're not going to know anyone there but ourselves and Draco.' Dean pointed out.

'Papa's going back to teaching this year.' Harry pointed out. 'Though I'm more than a bit upset that the magical world doesn't recognize Papa's adoption of me.' Harry said pouting.

'I find it amusing that as Harrison Snape you are allowed to cast magic outside of school because of your masteries, but as Harry Potter you can't.' Dean pointed out. 'I also find it amusing that Harrison Snape and Harry Potter are two completely different people to the wizarding world.'

'It's not funny, how am I supposed to keep up my studies if they keep breathing down my neck for using magic?'

'They can't.' Severus explained. 'The contract your Aunt signed with me states both names. Magic has acknowledged my adoption of you, the people in charge just choose to ignore the name change. In doing so, others remain unaware when they should be alerted. If it helps, your masters' certificates will state the name they are looking for, as long as it belongs to you.'

'So when they come because I used magic outside of school, I just show them my masters' certificates and they'll leave?'

'Actually, it'd be best to show them your apprentice contract, that way they can't do anything about your continued use of magic outside school.'

'But with my masters' certificates, they wouldn't be able to either.' Harry said with a frown.

'Masters' certificates declare you an adult. You asked me to hold off signing the emancipation forms until after you had completed your Charms mastery. As such, even with your masteries, you would not be allowed to use magic until you were of age or emancipated. The apprentice contract allows you to use magic outside of school even though you are not emancipated or of age.' Severus explained.

'Oh, that makes sense.' Harry muttered.

'Come on boys, time for bed. We have to get up early tomorrow.'

* * *

'Soo… we just have to run through the wall?' Dean asked confused.

'Yes. But you have to do it when no one is looking.' Severus added.

'The wizarding world is messed up. 'Oh we'll just make a bunch of kids run through a wall, even though most of those coming through it wouldn't know about the secret!'.' Dean stated sarcastically.

'Just go already Dean.' Harry sighed.

'Fine. I will.' Dean ran to the wall and vanished. Harry found him on the other side near hyperventilating. 'Don't make me do that again.' He pleaded.

'We have seven more years of that Dean. And we have to come back through it to go home.' Harry reminded him.

'Oh God!'

* * *

'Anyone want to take a bet on where Harry Potter is going to be placed?'

'I'll put ten gallons on Slytherin.' Pomona said.

'As will I.' Filius added.

'Well I'm putting ten down on Gryffindor.' Minerva stated. Severus watched all the other professors placed bets on where his son was going to be placed. He noticed that no one had placed a bet on Ravenclaw. He waited until everyone other than the Headmaster – who never partook in the bets anyway – had placed their bet then tossed in his own.

'I'll put twenty on Ravenclaw.' There was complete silence. 'Well not a one of you placed a bet on Ravenclaw. _Someone_ needed to, just in case he actually gets placed there.' That, and Severus remembered what Harry had said about Ravenclaw being more likely than Slytherin.

'But twenty gallons Severus?'

He shrugged. 'My apprentice is still living with me while he completes his other masteries, despite the fact that he's completed the one he signed on with me for. He decided he was going to pay me rent. He wouldn't accept no for an answer and he refuses to pay me less than forty gallons a month. Something about it being thanks to me he has so much? Anyway, even with me stashing half of that in a vault for when he achieves his final mastery, I still have a lot of money.'

'And if you win, you'll have even more.'

'Indeed.'

* * *

'Potter, Harry.'

There was complete silence as Harry walked up to the stool and sat on it. Several minutes went by as they waited, then the hat's brim opened.

'RAVENCLAW!' It cried out, and Severus sat back with a smug smirk on his face.

* * *

'Alright Mr. Potter, are you ready for the exam?' Pomona asked him.

'Yes Professor Sprout.' Harry said.

'Now remember, it won't be like any of your previous exams.' She warned.

'Come on, better get this over with.'

* * *

'Merlin that child boggles my mind Severus. Eleven years old, and he has three masteries already.' Pomona marveled to Severus.

'And he's hoping to go for his Charms mastery next Christmas.' Severus sighed. 'How he managed to cram a four year mastery into two, while attending school and keeping his grades up, I'll never know.'

'Looks like the hat picked the right place for him.' Pomona stated. 'I'm just surprised no one, not even his classmates have realized he's Harrison Snape.'

'He isn't even trying to keep it a secret. He still refers to me as 'Papa' outside of class. And the hat was talked into placing him in Ravenclaw. According to Harry it was his pointing out that he'd already achieved his ambitions and therefore didn't _need_ to be taught how to do so, that had the hat agreeing to place him in Ravenclaw.'

'That child,' Pomona sighed. 'Is too smart for his own good.'

* * *

'Headmaster, one of my students is an apprentice and his mastery exam is this weekend. Just thought you might want to know I'm taking a student off grounds for his exam so you didn't panic when he doesn't show up for class on Monday. Severus has agreed to stand in for me, as he doesn't have any classes on Monday. The three of us shall not be here this weekend.' Filius quickly turned and left the Headmasters' office before he could realize that he hadn't given him the name of the student taking the exam.

He met Harry and Severus at the bottom of the stairs. He grinned up at them. 'We're good. I left before he could realize I hadn't given him the name of the student.'

They let out a breath of relief. 'Thank Merlin it's Friday. We'll eat dinner and then leave for home. So when he realizes later tonight he can't ask you.'

'I can't believe he still thinks he's my magical guardian.' Harry said with a sigh. 'Honestly. He hasn't been my magical guardian since I was three.'

'I can't believe he still thinks you're with your Aunt and Uncle, despite two years of letters saying you were at my place.' Severus shook his head.

'Yes, well. No one said he was still sane.' Harry pointed out.

* * *

Dean and Draco met them outside the castle Monday evening when they were returning. 'Well?' Draco demanded.

'Passed. Again.' Harry stated smugly. 'And the emancipation forms are signed and delivered. I am an adult in the eyes of the wizarding world, and I'm only twelve years old.' He said wryly. 'I wonder how that's going to go over when a certain someone finds out about it?'

'Better yet, what about Quirrell? I bet that'll be amusing.'

'Well considering the Dark Lord is on the back of his head I would hope he'd be a bit more discreet, than just throwing a hissy fit in the great hall.' Severus stated.

'Personally I think he'll burst out laughing once he realizes what I did.' Harry said grinning. 'Might just freak out Dumbledore even more.'

'I can't believe he made Quirrell get a snake so he could possess it last year instead of him.' Harry muttered.

'I can't believe he didn't go after the stone.' Snape mused.

'I can't believe Quirrell tried to go for it on his own.' Draco stated. 'He's lucky you were down there replacing the potions that had expired.'

'I want to know why he didn't just make him get another snake instead of just possessing Quirrell.' Dean said.

'Probably to stop him from doing something stupid again this year.' Harry replied. 'What _I_ want to know is, everyone knows that he possessed Quirrell, so why did Dumbledore let him come back to teach this year.'

'Because he would rather know where I am then where I am _not_.' Came from behind them. 'As to Dumbledore's reaction to you being the student who achieved their mastery this weekend, well; let's say I bow down to you.' Quirrelmort bowed to Harry. 'You have managed to do something I never did, no matter how hard I tried; and you did it without even trying! You made him lose control of himself in public!'

'Really?' Harry asked surprised. 'I didn't think his reaction would be quite so bad.'

'You win Potter. I shall stop my end of the war.'

Harry perked up. 'Does that mean you'll tell me your goals now?'

Quirrelmort laughed. 'I don't know why not. How about tomorrow over dinner, say my room? Bring your Papa and your friends too.'

Harry scowled. 'Stop reading my mind.' He complained.

'I can't help it. For some reason, even though your shields are better than Severus' they are useless to me.' Quirrelmort frowned. 'Actually, I should probably look into why that is.'

'Please do. It makes my head hurt.' Harry huffed.

'It does? Well, that should help me figure out what is happening. Whether or not it's just a mental connection or a magical one, we'll find out.'

* * *

Four years later, Voldemort had been returned to his own body and Harry had managed to talk him into achieving his goals peacefully.

* * *

Voldemort was well on his way to having every single one of them realized.

Harry did indeed get his History and Transfiguration masteries when he took his O. W. Ls. He also achieved his Runes and Arithmancy masteries at the same time. He held the record for masteries awarded while taking the O. W. Ls. He also held the records for youngest master in almost every subject he held a mastery in, and in the amount of masteries held by one person.

Draco went on to become minister for magic and helped Voldemort to make sure that no wizard would ever be treated the way that he had been as a child again.

Dean decided to take his Potions mastery, and apprenticed under Severus. He was due to take the Potions exam in the following year.

As for Dumbledore, well no one is entirely sure what happened to him.


End file.
